Off The Market
by Tarafina
Summary: A picture's worth a thousand words.


**Title**: Off The Market  
**Category**: Smallville  
**Genre**: Romance/Humor  
**Pairing**: Chloe/Oliver  
**Rating**: PG13  
**Prompt**: Picture by ellashy  
**Word Count**: 1,289  
**Summary**: A picture's worth a thousand words.

**Off The Market!**

**By**: Lorelei Montgomery

_That's right ladies, read it and weep. It appears Oliver Queen, best known for his good looks and endless charm, has been taken off the market! Pictured above with long-time friend Chloe Sullivan, former reporter for The Daily Planet of Metropolis, and coincidentally enough, the cousin to Queen's ex- Lois Lane._

_Taken just yesterday while the newly outed couple were taking a walk down 56th and Broad, a mere three blocks from Queen Industries, where Oliver Queen works as CEO to his late father's family company, the two were spotted by a source flirtatiously bantering back and forth before Oliver jokingly offered to give Sullivan a piggy-back ride the rest of the walk. Taking him up on the offer, Sullivan hopped onto the broad and reliable back of Star City's most desired bachelor._

_Dressed down in casuals rather than in his usual high price-tag clothing, it was obvious to on-lookers that this coupling was not for the gossip mongers but a true-blue relationship that had bloomed behind the scenes. Sporting large smiles and happily enjoying their afternoon together, Queen and Sullivan were later seen having lunch at Alessandro's, the new hot Italian restaurant and later pictured at the Star City General Hospital Benefit, raising funds for a new cancer ward._

_While other columnists have taken an instant dislike to Miss. Sullivan, inciting gossip that she's only in it for the money, this reporter says different. If a picture says a thousand words, this one strikes me as a one-word headliner, folks._

_**Committed**._

_That's right, I said it! I believe wholeheartedly that this bachelor is not just off the market but fully committed to making this relationship work and last. Often known for his philandering ways and never sticking to one beautiful woman at a time, I'll take the high road on this news and choose to believe that Oliver Queen might have just met his match. It may just be my rooting for a fellow (former or not) reporter, but I give these two a thumbs up and hope for the best!_

_So good luck, Chloe and Oliver, and make this columnist proud!_

_I'm Lorelei Montgomery, coming to you from That's Right, She Went There! And this had been a Celebrity Couple's Report for all you naysayers out there. Eat your words and bask in the love, my friends, these two are gonna make it!_

Chloe grinned to herself, shaking her head as she folded the newspaper in half and took her steaming cup of coffee from the vendor. No doubt Oliver would get a kick out of the latest in gossip about their relationship. Mostly she'd been running into the less-than-uplifting angles to her and Oliver's finally 'coming out.' It seemed gossip magazines didn't care for who she was or what she represented; all they saw was a pretty face and her gold-digging claws dug in deep. Walking down the street and taking an absent left while she pulled her cell phone from her purse, she texted her accomplice in question.

_You still sleeping?_

Having left his apartment an hour earlier, needing to stop at the Watch Tower for a few things and spotting the newspaper stand and it's latest headline, she'd left Oliver to sleep in and went about her business. After a year together, she had found it wasn't often she woke up before him, but he'd had a long night of canoodling with the public and undergoing their obvious scrutiny towards his latest girlfriend. To them, he and Chloe were new; to her they'd been together a little over a year and doing just fine. It was he who wanted them to just get it over with and come out, mostly because he was tired of pretending to be friends outside of their apartment. Giving in to his stubborn tactics, she agreed and now she found it endlessly funny that it had backfired on him.

The buzz of her phone told her he had replied and she lifted it once more, using her thumb to open the text message waiting.

_No. And waking up without you is not pleasant. Morning sex is much better when two people are involved!_

She laughed at his candid response and rolled her eyes, texting back as she sipped her coffee deeply.

_I'm sure you managed. ;) I'm just around the corner. I'll be there soon. I found something I think you'll like._

Finishing off her coffee, she licked her lips and dropped the empty cup in a recycling bin before walking inside the Queen Tower's front building.

"Hey Archie," she greeted, smiling at the doorman.

"Hey Chloe," he said back, grinning. "I'm surprised you came through the front door after yesterday's mob of reporters."

She shrugged. "You'd be surprised what Oliver's PR people can do to keep them at bay."

Chuckling, he lifted a brow. "There were a few hiding in the bushes this morning but I got rid of them. I was told if they stay on the other side of the street they aren't disturbing anyone."

Pushing the button for the elevator, she laughed. "So long as the flash of their cameras doesn't blind you anyway… Hopefully this mess will be cleared up soon."

He nodded agreeably. "Have a good day!" he called after her.

"You too," she replied, pressing the button to the top floor.

Leaning against the wall in wait, she smiled to herself as her phone buzzed again.

_Does it involve you, a bed, and a very interested me?_

Snorting, she shook her head. "Mind meet gutter," she muttered to herself.

As the elevator doors opened, she stepped inside and crossed the apartment to see if he'd ventured from his room yet. Finding the living room and kitchen empty, she kicked her shoes off and walked to the half-open bedroom door. Lounging in bed, his arms tucked behind his head, eyes closed, and his phone lying on his chest in wait of her reply, she grinned at the sight.

"Lemme guess, your phone's on vibrate," she said in greeting.

His mouth curled at the sides and one eye opened. "I see you're still dressed," he noted with an exaggerated frown.

Rolling her eyes, she dropped her purse to the floor and walked toward their bed, shedding her jacket in the process. "Turn off the downstairs brain for a second, Romeo; I want you to read the latest prognosis on our relationship."

His playful expression darkened. "Not another 'She's after his money and he's distracted by the sex,' one, is it?" Rolling onto his side, he patted the spot next to him for her to sit. "Because if anybody should be thoroughly distracted by sex, it should be you!"

Chuckling, she handed him the paper. "Just read it!"

With a dramatic sigh, he opened the paper to read through the small write-up and slowly began to smile. "Huh… So we've got at least one fan out there rooting for us… Good to know."

Easing down to lay next to him, she nodded. "Apparently, you've met your match, Queen."

Grinning, he leaned across to her. "Couldn't agree more, Sidekick," he agreed, capturing her lips in a good-morning kiss.

"Mmm," she sighed, her hand cupping his cheek to keep him from drawing away.

Fingers curling around her knee, he dragged her close and hitched her leg over his hip. "One down, the rest to go," he murmured in between kisses. "We'll prove them wrong after lunch."

Laughing breathily, she opened her eyes to stare at him. "And what's wrong with right now?"

He smirked devilishly. "We're otherwise occupied… Proving our one fan very, _very _right."

Chuckling, she gave in. It wouldn't do to argue with their only supporter, now would it?


End file.
